🎃Pumpkins to Purpose: Turning Halloween Leftovers into Garden Gold🎃

By Omar C Eco-Friendly Lawns LLC Serving Chicago’s Southwest Side with sustainable, pet-safe landscaping

🌿 The Garden Cycle Never Ends

Halloween may be behind us, but your pumpkins still have plenty of life left in them. At Omar C Eco-Friendly Lawns, we believe every season offers a chance to nourish the earth—and your garden is the perfect place to start.

Instead of tossing your pumpkins in the trash, let’s turn them into something beautiful. Recomposting and repurposing are simple, powerful ways to keep the garden’s cycle alive and thriving.

♻️ Why Recomposting Matters

Every year, thousands of pumpkins end up in landfills, releasing methane and missing out on the chance to enrich the soil. By giving your pumpkins a second life, you’re:

• Reducing organic waste

• Supporting healthy soil and pollinators

• Teaching kids and neighbors about sustainability

• Keeping your garden vibrant through the fall

🌱 Easy Ways to Repurpose Your Pumpkins

1. Compost Whole or Chopped. Remove any candles, paint, or synthetic decorations. Chop them up and add to your compost pile or bin.

2. Feed the Soil Directly. Bury pumpkin chunks in garden beds to decompose naturally and enrich the soil.

3. Create a Pollinator Buffet. Place carved pumpkins in a quiet corner—bees and butterflies love the sugars.

4. Mix with Fall Leaves Blend pumpkin pulp with dry leaves to create a nutrient-rich mulch layer.

🧡 Community

We encourage neighbors to drop off clean pumpkins for composting. It’s a great way to build community, reduce waste, and show how small actions can lead to significant change. Residents in Berwyn can drop off their pumpkins at a local Pumpkin Smash event, typically held the Saturday after Halloween. The nearest confirmed site is part of the statewide composting initiative organized by SCARCE.

🎃 Pumpkin Smash Drop-Off Near Berwyn

• Event Name: Pumpkin Smash – SCARCE

• Date: Saturday, November 8, 2025

• Purpose: Divert pumpkins from landfills and turn them into compost

• What to Bring:

• Only natural pumpkins (no candles, paint, glitter, or decorations)

• Carved or whole pumpkins are accepted

• Remove any synthetic materials or stickers

🍂

The garden doesn’t stop growing when the season shifts—it simply transforms. Let your Halloween leftovers become part of that transformation. Compost, repurpose, and celebrate the cycle.

Need help starting a compost pile or want tips for fall garden care? Reach out to us at omarlawn2020@gmail.com or follow us on social for seasonal tips and pet-safe landscaping ideas.